I will tell youanything you want to know. It will not be easy, and I wish we did nothave to hide the fact that we are married. I want to tell everyoneand shout to the world that I have found my soulmate, but I amwilling to wait until it is time.”
Her hand gripped hiswrist, and she could feel herself settling. He had the most profoundeffect on her. One minute, her emotions would be raging out ofcontrol, and the next, he had the power to make her believe that itwould all work out.
“Okay.”
“No more talkabout regrets?” He prodded.
“No.”
“Good. Hungry?”He asked her tenderly.
“Not yet.”
“We have a longway to go, and a blanket is on the back seat if you feel cold.”
A smile played aroundher lips. “Playing the dutiful husband already?”
“Absolutely.”He kissed her lightly before shifting back into his seat and startingthe car.
“Always.”
She enjoyed thescenery, the piles of snow on the sides of the road, and they hadgone several miles before she took his advice and reached for theblanket to cover herself. The conversation was light, with himtelling her about work and revealing that he was into all sports.
“You raced carsfor a while.”
“That was whenI was eighteen.” he flashed her a smile as he turned off thehighway. “My rebellious phase. It lasted long enough for me tocrash while going at a hundred and twenty miles an hour. I saw mylife flashing in front of my eyes and thought I was going to die.Mother tore a strip off me.”
“And yourDad?”
His mouth tightened.“He was proud. I had proven myself to be a man. He evenrewarded me by throwing a party in my hospital room.”
He did not tell herthe rest of it - how Bart had brought in some escorts to keep himcompany while he was hooked up to an IV, his leg in a cast. It hadbeen allowed because of Connelly’s name and the fact that theyhad made numerous contributions to several wings.
“But yourmother thought differently.”
“I had neverseen her cry before, and when I saw that, it sobered me. She washurt, and that made me feel low and guilty as hell. Suffice it tosay, I never did anything like that again.”
“You love hervery much.”
He glanced at herbefore making yet another turn. “Yes, I do.”
“She wantswhat’s best for you.”
“Madison-”
“And I am notgoing to be it.”
“Madison, stop.You are what’s best for me. I love my mother and consider herone of the strongest women I know. She had been through a lot whenshe was married to my father, and she managed to keep it together.That said, I am married to you and will not allow anything or anyoneto come between us, no matter what.”
“I amsorry.”
“It’sfine. We are newlyweds, and this is something new for both of us.There is bound to be a difference of opinion.”
“Is that whatit is?” She asked whimsically.
“That’swhat I prefer to term it as.” He glanced at her and saw whenshe closed her eyes. Reaching over, he adjusted her seat. “Youare tired.”
“A little. Itis more the stress than anything else. I have been on tenterhooksever since I met you.”